For those of you hoping that Biden gets the nod:

[senseandsensibility]

How do you think Obama feels about that "gaffe" Biden made sometime during the primaries? The one about Obama being "clean"? I remember a big uproar in the media, and I didn't get it at the time. It was portrayed as racist or borderline. Was it? Do you think Obama saw it that way?

For the record, I am a Biden supporter, and the only reason I wouldn't want him to get the VP is because Clark got it. Even then, I'd be torn. So this is not an accusation against Biden. I just wondered if it could affect Biden's chances.

Maybe I'm way off. :shrug: I'd really like feedback from African American DUers.

[AllentownJake]

1. Seeing that Obama jumped in and defended Biden

as a friend and as a person who has fought for civil rights I don't think Obama took the gaffe personally. I believe in Obama's life he's heard worse things said by people closer to him. Alot of critism can be thrown on Biden for some things he has supported over the years. Racism isn't one of them.

[senseandsensibility]

9. No, Biden is definitely not a racist

I'm glad Obama defended him at the time. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed for Biden.:)

[Skittles]

2. I remember thinking

if Biden is surprised by "articulate" black folk, he needs to get out more often.....I've known articulate black folk all my life - to me he came off more ignorant than racist

[senseandsensibility]

5. I can see your point

At the time, I thought he was kind of dissing Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. He was comparing Obama to them. I didn't really see the point.

[Muttocracy]

20. I think that was the reaction Obama had at the time - that Biden was leaving out

those two, Chisholm, others, not that Biden was a racist.

[cyndensco]

25. That's part of the problem.

I remember the gaffe but I do not remember Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton being in the mix. If he was comparing Obama to them, why them? Obama is a politician, why must he be compared only to black politicians?

And, the "articulate" thing? You hardly ever hear a white person being called articulate. It is expected of you. While growing up, I often heard from my classmates, "You're not like the others." While I believe they meant it as a compliment, I found it very offensive. Most everyone I knew was just like me.

edited to add: I like Biden. Always have.

[AllentownJake]

6. People say stupid things all the time

Joe Biden said something stupid. There hasn't been an African American on the national stage at Obama's level since Colin Powell. I think Biden was trying to say this is great this guy has a legit shot at the Presidency based on our national history and it came out totally wrong.

[hlthe2b]

19. I agree... Foot in mouth "disease," perhaps, but no ill intent at all.

Damn, I wish we'd just give a tiny bit of benefit of the doubt...

[KittyWampus]

8. there was nothing in Biden's response in any way implying he was surprised by an

articulate black person.

It's not like Obama isn't known for his oratory.

[Skittles]

10. wtf?

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," Biden said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."

You don't think that makes it sound like he thinks an articulate, bright, clean, nice-looking black man is an anomaly?

[KittyWampus]

38. There's been a lot of black guys like Obama in the national Democratic party?

Politicians who are:

Gifted orators
Extremely smart
Uncorrupted
Good Looking
Black

And to answer your question- No, I don't think Biden sounds surprised. I think he's noticing the simple fact that Obama stands hands and shoulders above a lot of other YOUNGER politicians and also happens to be black.

What I find odd is that people look at the words articulate and clean and see a slur but gloss over the other words Biden used- bright and good looking.

I mean, does anyone really think Biden meant physical/body cleanliness when he said clean?

[gateley]

3. I'm not African American, but

Biden has been fighting for civil rights since the 60's, and Obama is aware of that, which what he (Obama) said during the debate when he assured the country that Joe is not a racist.

[MrModerate]

4. I thought Biden's comment at the time was bad phrasing . . .

and nothing more. I interpreted it like you'd say a well-designed car had "clean lines," and -- as a physical specimen -- Obama is tall, thin, highly symmetrical, etc., etc. I.e., "clean."

As for articulate -- which some have tried to turn into a comment about the relative wellspokeness of other African Americans, I think that's a total red herring. Excuse me, but Obama is more articulate than 95% of the population. I think you can call him "articulate" without reference to anything except the rest of the human race.

But that's just me.

[Muttocracy]

17. I had no idea "articulate" was considered a backhanded compliment

until I heard reactions on a radio talk show that has mostly black commentators. I'd be thrilled if someone called me articulate!

Biden himself said in an interview months later that as someone who grew up fighting a stutter, he was trying to compliment Obama.

What burned me was things like Newsweek reaming Biden for using that term and then calling Spike Lee and other black directors articulate a few months later. :grr:

[MrModerate]

Mainstream media? Consistency?

You *are* an optimist.

[Muttocracy]

41. or a slow learner :)

[NotThisTime]

24. My thoughts exactly, why write what you wrote! Go Biden!

[saltpoint]

7. Biden apologized for that comment. Obama accepted the apology.

I felt I was seeing two grown-ups behaving like grown-ups at that point, and I appreciated it.

I think it would be a great ticket.

[senseandsensibility]

11. Ditto.

Two grown-ups. I like the sound of that more than you can imagine.:)

[saltpoint]

14. Hey there. Nice to see you. Yep -- we've had to endure 8 years of

monkey business from the Bush administration, and I'm in the market for adult public service.

[JaneQPublic]

13. Right. Obama spoke up for Biden at one of the debates

Obama, as I recall, gave a summary of some of Biden's work over the years on behalf of racial equality, concluding that Biden has always been on the right side of civil rights.

Biden appeared very touched and thanked him for his remarks.

[saltpoint]

22. Hi, JaneQPublic. Yes. The two of them just shone.

I'd have no problem at all with them as our ticket, and no problem either with the two of them at the helm to govern us after the election.

[depakid]

12. How about the hundreds of STUPID things the man has said for years on the Sunday shows

or his plagiarism- or his REPEATED votes on things like bankruptcy bill and financial deregulation or IWR?

[Skittles]

16. those would definitely be better targets

yes INDEED

[depakid]

27. If he's the VP, I guarentee we'll be hearing about it...

Any long sitting Senator makes a good target- but a loquatious shoot from the hip guy like Biden would give the corporate media and the far right an early Christmas this year. And quite possibly a very sad one for the rest of us.

[Skittles]

34. he won't be the VP n/t

[Major Hogwash]

28. Hahahahaha.

Yeah, there are much better reasons why Biden won't get the job.

[nsd]

15. I think it was just bad phrasing.

I don't think Biden meant it the way it sounded. And Obama himself quickly agreed that there was no bad intent. I don't think it matters at all.

[rurallib]

18. when it comes to civil rights and women's right s, Joe is right on

he is one of the truly good guys. Sometimes he talks a wee bit too much.

[AllentownJake]

21. which is why his recent time being quiet

has intrigued me very much. Very out of character for Joe to be turning down press request.

[senseandsensibility]

29. Yes , that alone leads me to believe

that he may be "the one", to borrow a phrase. Has Joe been this quiet before for this length of time?

[AllentownJake]

31. Not by choice

If a camera comes out and asks him for a comment he runs to it willingly.

[inthebrain]

23. Not on their right to have an abortion he aint

Biden wants to ban partial birth abortions which is a life saving procedure. No exceptions for the life of the mother.

He wants to end public funding for abortions as well. THese funds are for rape victims.

[iconicgnom]

26. A "gaffe" doesn't make a person. It's when the "gaffe's" pile up.

[FrenchieCat]

30. That was the media at work again. Just like they "worked" on Wes Clark

and John Kerry and other "gaffes".

I didn't take offense to what Biden said...especially when one compares what the Clintons, the McCain camp and others have recently said about Obama.

It was a lot to do about nothing.

The only thing that I believe hurts Biden is the fact that he has been in congress forever, and the fact that he is another Senator of a teeny weeny New England State.

[Undercurrent]

32. Much ado about nothing.

When people refer to a politician as "clean" they mean he is not corrupt, and/or does no engage in dirty politics. It isn't about bathing habits, or a racial slur.

Stephens of Alaska is dirty. McCain is dirty. Obama is clean.

[Somawas]

33. They didn't call Joe Biden "the Senator from MBNA" for nothing.

I was done with him a long time ago.

[napi21]

35. Biden's remark was nothing even close to what was suspected!

I'm SURE Barack knows that!

You & a lot of other DUers may be too young to have ever heard it, but my mother and everyone elses parents used to use that attribute about every guy I ever dated! It has NOTHING to do with CLEAN as in not dirty! It means neat, not sloppy, good manners, etc. It had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with race!

I think this is similar to how upset so many people got when, I think it was David Schuster< said "pimpin their daughter" in regard to Chelsea and the Clintons. It's something that apparently is quite acceptable in today's vernacular, but those of us who never heard it, understood it to mean what it USED to mean, and then it was very derogatory!

[JI7]

36. this is what Obama had to say about it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOXzyTGsC1c

[senseandsensibility]

37. "I will provide some testimony"

quote from Obama about Biden's good intentions. I also noticed that Hillary clapped enthusiastically when Joe was done answering Thanks so much for the link, JI7!

[gateley]

39. That was touching and right. nt

[Muttocracy]

40. thanks I was looking for that and couldn't find it. nt

[flamingdem]

42. I think (I hope) he meant that he is not corrupt nt

[BklynChick]

43. I have to admit that yes, it pissed me off at the time. I've always liked Biden so I was diappointe

to hear that crap from him. Obama was asked about it at one of the debates and he said it didn't bother him. I'm sure he's heard stuff like that his whole life so he let it roll off his back. That said, I still think Biden would be a great VP.

[wyldwolf]

44. It was not a gaffe. The netroots tried to make it a gaffe...

...quite ignorantly, too.

[CreekDog]

45. has anyone considered that Biden meant "Clean" as in ethically clean?

bright
clean

AND

nice looking guy

i have trouble believing that Biden rates presidential candidates on hygeiene. i have no trouble believing he rates them on ethics.